Weed-destroying attachment for locomotives



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WEED .DESTROYING ATTACHMENT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLIOATION FILED J'UYE 8. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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/ I V I 'Jlnorqcys Wifgzssc a? UNITED STATES- Patented March 1, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELMUs M. MoCOY, or SELMA, LOUISIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,608, dated Maroh 1,1904.

Application filed June 8, 1903. Serial No. 160,615. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMUs M. McCoY, a citizen of the United States,residing at vSelma, in the parish of Grant andStateof Louisiana, haveinvented a new and useful Weed-Destroying Attachment for Locomotives, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weed-destroying attachments for locomotives;and it has for its object to provide a device of this class comprisingahydrocarbon-burner, means for feeding the same, and acombustion-chamber, said elements being constructed, assembled, andadapted to operate in such a manner that as the locomotive equipped withthe device passes over the track an intensely-hot flame shall bedeflected downwardly upon the vegetation growing between the rails,thereby effectually destroying such vegetation which, if not removed,has been known to interfereseriously with traffic over the road. e

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts to be hereinafter fully described whereby a deviceof the class referred to shall be-produced possessing superioradvantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efliciency,as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view diagrammatically showing alocomotive to which my invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken through the burners andcombustion-chambers at the front end of the locomotive. Fig.

3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3m Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference.

In carrying out my invention I provide a suitable oil-receptacle,(designated 1,) which in Fig. 1 of the drawings has been shown aslocated at the rear end of the tender tank. Pipe-lines 2 2 are extendedfrom the supplytank 1 on either side of the locomotive to the front endof the latter, from which the pilot has been removed and in place ofwhich my improved weed-destroying device has been 5 installed. In theexample herein shown (see Fig. 2) two separate burners have been shown,said burners being designated 3 3, and each of said burners consistingof a pipe-section 4, contracted at its discharge end, so as to form areduced discharge-orifice 5. The burnerpipe 4: is connected with theoil-pipe 2 by means of a joint or coupling 6, which in the presentinstance is shown to be L-shaped and the openings at the ends of whichare of unequal sizes, so as to connect the oil-pipe, which may be athree-eighth-inch pipe, with the burner-pipe, which is intended to beprobably one and one-quarter inches in diameter. the intersection of theburner-pipe with the reducing-coupling 6 is placed a diaphragm 7, fromwhich a continuation 8 of the oil-pipe is extended downwardly throughthe-burnerpipe, terminating a short distance abovethe discharge end ofthe latter. A T-coupling 9 connects the burner-pipe with a steam-pipe10, which leads to the steamdome of the boiler.

A combustion-chamber is provided at each of the burners, each of saidcombustion-ch ambers including a cylinder 11, which is contracted at itsupper end to form a conical portion 12, the mouth'13 of which surroundsthe burner-pipe, thus forming an annular open: ing 14 for the admissionof air. The cylindrical portion 11 of the combustion chamber extendsdownwardly and is provided at its lower end with a'flange 15. Within thecylindrical section 11 is introduced a telescoping section 16, which isslightly contracted upwardly and is provided at its upper edge with aninclined annular flange 17, which by engaging frictionally against theinner side of the cylindrical section 11 serves to retain thetelescoping section at any position to which it may be adjusted and atthe same time assists in forming a perfectly tight joint between the twotelescoping members of the combustionchamber. The inner member 16 isprovided at its lower edge with an outwardly-diverging flange 18,serving as adeflector, whereby the flange will be permitted to spreadover a comburners and combustion-chambers will serve to dispense theflames over the area included between the rails and some distance beyondthe latter practically to the ends of the ties. It is obvious that thecombustion-chambers and the deflectors of the latter may be increased insize, so that flames may be deflected over a larger area, or anadditional burner and deflector may be disposed between the two alreadymentioned, which latter may be moved outward, so that the desired areashall be brought Within the reach of the flames deflected from thecombustion-chambers.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of my invention will bereadily understood. It is obvious that, the oil-pipe lines are to bevalved and that the controlling-valves will be disposed in such a manneras to be conveniently within the reach of the engineer. This, however,is a minor feature, which will be readily understood. The burners are,as will be seen,

. of the variety known as atomizer-burners,

the steam entering the burner-pipes surrounding the oil -pipes ornozzles being ejected forcibly through the reduced discharge-openings,serving to forcibly ejectthe oil which is atomized or converted intofine spray, which, commingling with the steam, forms a very inflammablemixture, which may be easily ig nited by introducing a torch or flame ofany kind into the combustion-chamber when the steam and oil is turnedon. As soon as the combustion begins to take place large quantities ofair will enter through the annular openings 14:, and thecombustion-chambers will thus be filled with intensely-hot flame, whichbeing deflected upon the vegetation growing between the ties willeifectually destroy such vegetation as the locomotive progresses overits course.

The combustion-chambers of the device may be built of any desiredheight, according to the dimensions of the locomotive in connection withwhich they are to be used, and they may be, furthermore, adjusted withinthe range of the sizes of the telescoping members so as to dispose thelower edges of the deflecting-flanges at any desired distance above thetrack.

I have herein shown a simple and preferred construction of my invention,but desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself as to thedetailed structural features herein set forth, but reservethe right toany changes, alterations, and modifications which may be resorted towithin the scope of my invention and without departing from the spiritor sacrificing the utility of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the classdescribed, a hydrocarbon-burner, a combustionchamber surrounding thesame and having an annular opening for the admission of air, and atelescopic extension engaging said combustionchamber interiorly andhaving a diverging deflecting-flange at its lower edge.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cylindricalcombustionchamber, a cylindrical telescoping extension contractingupwardly and having an outwardflaring'flange at its upper edgeinteriorly engaging said combustion-chambkar and provided at its loweredge with a diverging deflectingflange.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with ahydrocarbon-burner, of a combustion-chamber surrounding the same andforming an annular air-inlet around said burner, a telescoping extensionin said combustion-chamber and having a flaring flange at itsv upperedge interiorly engaging said combustion-chamber, and a flange divergingfrom the lower edge of said telescoping sec tion and constituting adeflector.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

ELMUS M. MCCOY.

Witnesses:

W. A. MURRAY, JAMES S. PARRISI-I.

